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US 8,077,192 B2Granted
Platen temperature model
AssigneeZink Imaging, Inc.
InventorsSuhail S. Saquib, Brian Busch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The input energies provided to a print head of a thermal printer are adjusted based on the temperature of a platen in the thermal printer. The platen temperature may be measured by a sensor or predicted by a platen temperature model. Such a model may derive the predicted platen temperature from an observed temperature of a heat sink in the thermal printer. A thermal history control algorithm may use the platen temperature, whether actual or predicted, to compensate for the platen temperature by adjusting the input energies.
Claims34
A method for use with a thermal printer, the method comprising:
- (A) identifying a temperature of a platen of the thermal printer;
- and
- (B) selecting an input energy to provide to a print head element of the thermal printer based on the identified temperature of the platen, wherein (B) comprises:
- (B)(1) identifying a temperature within the thermal printer;
- (B)(2) modifying the identified thermal printer temperature based on the platen temperature to produce a modified temperature;
- and
- (B)(3) providing the modified temperature as input to a thermal history control component to identify the input energy.
4 more elements
An apparatus for use with a thermal printer, the apparatus comprising:
- platen temperature identification means for identifying a temperature of a platen of the thermal printer;
- and
- input energy selection means for selecting an input energy to provide to a print head element of the thermal printer based on the identified temperature of the platen, wherein the input energy selection means comprises:
- means for identifying a temperature within the thermal printer;
- means for modifying the identified thermal printer temperature based on the platen temperature to produce a modified temperature;
- and
- means for providing the modified temperature as input to a thermal history control component to identify the input energy.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- (A) using a thermal history control algorithm to identify a plurality of input energies to send to a thermal printer to print a constant-density image on an output medium;
- (B) providing the plurality of input energies to the thermal printer to print a printed image;
- (C) measuring densities in the printed image;
- (D) identifying a temperature of a platen in the thermal printer;
- and
- (E) identifying a platen correction parameter based on the measured densities and the identified platen temperature, wherein (E) comprises:
- (E)(1) identifying a derivative of the measured densities with respect to the identified platen temperature;
- and
- (E)(2) identifying the platen correction parameter based on the derivative.
6 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- thermal history control means for using a thermal history control algorithm to identify a plurality of input energies to send to a thermal printer to print a constant-density image on an output medium;
- input energy provision means for providing the plurality of input energies to the thermal printer to print a printed image;
- density measurement means for measuring densities in the printed image;
- platen temperature identification means for identifying a temperature of a platen in the thermal printer;
- and
- platen correction parameter identification means for identifying a platen correction parameter based on the measured densities and the identified platen temperature, wherein the platen correction parameter identification means comprises:
- means for identifying a derivative of the measured densities with respect to the identified platen temperature;
- and
- means for identifying the platen correction parameter based on the derivative.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- (A) storing a first measured temperature of a thermal printer before the thermal printer is shut down;
- (B) storing a first modeled temperature of the thermal printer before the thermal printer is shut down;
- (C) identifying a second measured temperature of the thermal printer after the thermal printer starts up;
- and
- (D) initializing a second modeled temperature of the thermal printer based on the first measured temperature, the first modeled temperature, and the second measured temperature.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- measured temperature storage means for storing a first measured temperature of a thermal printer before the thermal printer is shut down;
- modeled temperature storage means for storing a first modeled temperature of the thermal printer before the thermal printer is shut down;
- measured temperature identification means for identifying a second measured temperature of the thermal printer after the thermal printer starts up;
- and
- modeled temperature initialization means for initializing a second modeled temperature of the thermal printer based on the first measured temperature, the first modeled temperature, and the second measured temperature.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.